Seraya
Seraya is a nation ruled by several groups, and is devoted to the pursuit of physical pleasure. The People The Serayans are by and large perceived to be an incredibly attractive people. Their genetic inheritance is profoundly favorable - few if any of them appear anything short of very physically appealing. Obesity is unheard of, owing to the naturally robust metabolism of the species. Serayans excrete pheromones in far greater quantity than other humans, as a semi-voluntary action (that is, it is voluntary, but also happens in moments of great arousal). The result of these phenomenal excretions is an increase in sexual aggression and confidence in those near them, and the perception by these people that the individual in question is sexually irresistible. During the act of sex, the Serayan brain releases far more endorphins than the average human brain. The practical effect of this is that sex is far, far more pleasurable for Serayans than it is for humans - Serayan poets have described the experience as transcendental. The pleasurable sensations are so profound that a regular risk of sex is addiction - many people become addicted to the endorphin rush and procreate as much as they can. The high endorphin level is an evolutionary response to Serayan fertility - unlike humans, whose females menstruate on a monthly cycle, Serayan female fertility is completely random. As such, their natural biology urges them to reproduce as much as is possible. Culture Serayan culture revolves largely around sex - much like human culture does, but more overtly so. Sex is in no way a taboo topic among the Serayans. Their society is structured into a ruling elite divided into noble houses, and a more populous lower class. Like in the Roman Empire, orgies are a common way of passing the time among the nobility. As a result of this biological (and subsequently social and societal) predisposition, the Serayans have made remarkable progress in the development of contraceptives, and the elimination of venereal disease. It is common practice for children entering into puberty to have their first sexual experience with a member of their immediate family, and incest is not looked down upon - though Serayans are encouraged to only have children with those they are unrelated to, for the sake of a diversified gene pool. Though the sensation of love does exist among these people as it does any other Human, their physiology and behavior does not lend itself well to monogamy, and very few long-term exclusive relationships exist. Some enter into polygamous relationships, but most people are happily promiscuous. Because sex occupies such a large part of their lives, the Serayans have turned it veritably into an art form - more literature, high art, low art, music, architecture and religion incorporate sexually inspired aspects in Seraya than in any other place in the Lapsarian Sector. In all, the Serayan people live a perpetual and ongoing celebration of fertility and life. However, this is not to say that the Serayans are sex-addled to the point that they cannot concentrate on anything else - they are capable of focusing on other things as much as any other Human. Indeed, it is this very industry that has allowed the Serayans to engineer convenient solutions to many of life's demands - allowing them to focus much of their time on leisure and the ever-increasingly complex social interactions with which they occupy themselves. History The Serayan civilization stretches back some tens of thousands of years. Three hundred years ago, they branched out into another planet in their indigenous system. Only one hundred years ago, with the creation of their Hypergate, did they expand into a nearby system. (Notably, the Serayans constructed this Hypergate themselves, after studying the design of the one introduced to them by the Trade Princes.) Exports Fine art, some of the sector's most elaborate pornography, celebrity culture (Serayan social celebrities are some of the most wildly adored throughout the sector). Also, diplomats - the natural Serayan ability to attract any Human, as well as their upbringing in a culture of incredible social complexity, means that the Serayans make excellent diplomats, and some are occasionally employed on behalf of other governments. Imports Technology - the Serayans, though not necessarily great engineers themselves, pay top dollar to the Trade Princes and anyone else for the latest innovations. Holdings Coming Soon! Military Aye Navy Yep Army Hi Category:Governments (LS)